Laurie Gelman’s Class Mom character uses these words to describe herself as the oldest mom in her child’s elementary school class. I can’t imagine anyone over forty not smiling at this line. It’s a positive comment on aging and is certainly a line I plan to adopt as my mantra.

Last week I stood shivering in the produce area of Costco (those of you who shop there know how cold it is) and a woman shivering next to me turned to me and said, “This room is great for menopause.” I thought omigod, is she talking to me? Do I look like I’m of menopausal age? Later that same day at Walmart, I had to call for assistance at the self-checkout line when I bought a bottle of wine. The screen said, “Is purchaser under 40?” The attendant didn’t even ask me! This was not a good day for my ego.

One week later, the cashier at Ross barely even asked me, she said, “You qualify for the senior discount right?” I mean she basically assumed I was fifty-five! I am not. Okay, I’m closer to fifty-five than forty-five, but still. That’s three incidents in a very short time span that called my attention to my age. I have a birthday coming up, so maybe that explains my sensitivity to the fact that I am, indeed, aging.

I read Class Mom in preparation to hear the author speak about her new book Volunteer Mom, and I’m so glad I did.  Laurie Gelman is funny and bright and now she has me happily thinking of myself, as not old, but “marinated.”

So, the next time my kids tell me, “you’re so old,” because I don’t know how to use every feature on my iphone or I complain about the vulgar language in the music they listen to – I will proudly inform them that I am not old. I am marinated for tenderness and peak flavor! Everyone knows that things simply get better when they marinate.  Thanks, Laurie Gelman, this is one great line.

If you’d like to read more about Class Mom, click here.

If you’d like to read more about me and why I started this blog, click here.